It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since Michael J. Fox launched his entertainment career as Alex P. Keaton on the hit NBC series Family Ties. Now Fox is heading back to his former TV home with a new comedy series.

Inspired in part by the actor’s real life, the new show follows Fox as a husband and father of three from New York City dealing with family, career, and challenges, including Parkinson’s disease (something we predicted last week when news of the series surfaced).

The new show has a full series order for 22 episodes. Easy A director Will Gluck and Arrested Development and Cougar Town writer Sam Laybourne are on board as executive producers and co-creators with the former also directing the pilot.

“To bring Michael J. Fox back to NBC is a supreme honor and we are thrilled that one of the great comedic television stars is coming home again. From the moment we met with Michael to hear his unique point of view about this new show, we were completely captivated and on board. He is utterly relatable, optimistic, and in a class by himself, and I have no doubt that the character he will create – and the vivid family characters surrounding him – will be both instantly recognizable and hilarious. Being in business with him is a supreme pleasure.”

Fox couldn’t be more thrilled with the prospect of getting back to TV in a leading role, saying, “I’m extremely pleased to be back at NBC with a great creative team and a great show. Bob Greenblatt and all the folks at the network have given me a warm welcome home, and I’m excited to get to work.”

This is easily the best TV news I’ve heard in a long time. There are few talents who are as dedicated, modest, charismatic, and talented as Fox, and to see that he’s returning to the network where his career began is truly wonderful. As a fan who has read all of Fox’s memoirs, starting with Lucky Man, I can’t wait to see how much of Fox’s life ends up on display in the comedy series.

It’s pretty bold and brave of Fox to put even more of his personal life out there, especially in a comedic capacity, but as someone who has always humbly dealt with his disease in the public eye, it shouldn’t prove to be very difficult. I can’t wait to see how this new series turns out.

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